Life as a Royal’s Breeding Partner
Chapter 267 – First Wife to Find Out

*** Shyla ***

They took her. My Lady. My sweet, poor Lady is gone. Her patients were killed or dying without a healer to help them. The cold air seeps in through the cuts in the tent.

The rules don't allow for that.

I'm a pregnant tailor, what could I do? The last time I held a sword was with a bunch of other nobles, looking for some easy levels. Beasts half-dead were all I ever fought. What could I do to them?

I was just starting to show my Lady I liked her. A little more than a maid normally likes their Lady, I think. Mother was always quiet about those relationships. I do know being one with my Lady felt right. My position should obviously be to serve her greatness completely. That damn collar messed this all up!

Are my Lady's last thoughts going to be that? How her stupid maid couldn't do anything because her maid wouldn't serve a slave. I did say that. I said I wouldn't risk my life while she had a collar on. But it's because I'm pregnant. Children. Will she know that? I'm willing to die for you, my Lady. I'm just pregnant. Please don't abandon this useless maid. I have more pretty dresses to make for you.

No, why am I worried she'll think poorly of me. My Lady. Are you even going to survive so far from your owner? Are they going to take her to the capital? Surely, she die if that happens. And I did nothing. The greatest Lady I could dress, and I let her leave like that? Just tossing out some empty threats.

"Shyla," Petra says. "Get up. I sent word about Alzi, and, well, to put it simply, we can use the rest of the potions to save who we have here. I need your help; I'm not the best at handing things out, as you can probably guess. Everyone else is either hurt, not a noble, or running around trying to keep them alive till the potions get passed out. You're the only one right now fitting none of those categories."

"The army?" I ask. Surely, one of them can handle the situation instead of a stupid maid. I let my Lady get taken; who would listen to me?

"A mess. Besides, you have the potions."

"Oh, right. Another slight to my Lady," I say. I wipe the useless tears from my eyes and force myself to my feet. I need to help my Lady. Even if this is hardly worth a thing to her. It's all I can do.

The ring has a passcode so the army will know when it gets opened. I hid the fact that it existed from my Lady so she wouldn't get mad that Elora is taking yet another thing away from her. Stupid as she would figure it out eventually, but I was trying to raise her spirits in the short term. I planned on her being happy enough when she could hold it that she wouldn't care about me not sharing it. If she comes back, I doubt she'll care much about the silly ring.

"Show me who I need to go to," I say. I'm sure she's figured out everything already. Probably the only reason I had time to cry in the corner. Mother used me as an example of a noble having to kill monsters, and I went hiding when they pulled a sword. I'm so pathetic.

"Good. We'll get the ones that defended the Healing Dragon first. Then, the standard order after. I doubt the Princess will find fault in that ordering," Petra says.

"Yes, Princess Elora likely won't care much about it."

*** Vanya ***

Why am I out here? Me and Inanos should be near Alzi if we must fight. Same with Elora, really. Geta is hiding something under that mask. Shimmer, probably as well. Geta has only gotten more attention after the disaster that almost got Inanos killed, and despite the increased number of nobles responding to her, nobody gets seriously injured around her. It isn't luck that she's able to match the enemy's strength so well after apparently having a barrier to her abilities. Why doesn't she take all the work off the pregnant ones?

And anyone who hasn't figured Shimmer out at this point must be in disbelief. Only the royal family has that much control over fire, and she is not part of that family. The Queen would be parading her around if she had any attachment, rules about father announcements be damned.

Then I don't even really have to be out here. Most of the combat is two versus one in our favor already. Elora just loves that I can run around so fast. Just help everyone, Vanya; please don't think about how I had to trick Alzi into impregnating you so much to save you last time. Azula isn't around anymore.

Exactly! Our greatest enemy isn't here. So let the pregnant rest a bit.

At least she said it was up to my discretion if I joined a fight. Now I can just run around and watch for the most part. I'm not risking these kids and getting Alzi to pump me up with a few more in revenge for risking them at Elora's orders. Nobody wants more kids that bad.

Maybe that dragon Alzi had her way with would. The mess Alzi came out in showed she really did a number on that girl, and yet she came back to the party eyeing Alzi the entire time with lust.

I suppose I should find a fight to join for a few minutes. I have to be able to say I did something in my time out here, even if it would be better that I did nothing but run around. It's a little too late to appeal to the Queen over this act.

All around are fights; it isn't hard to find them. The hard part is picking a fight. The other side has extra women as well. Pick the wrong battle, and you'll get the woman you're trying to help killed by whoever joins on the opposite side. Then I would be stuck in that fight, and I really don't need to get put in a two versus one. That is the other problem. If it's too close, I won't be able to convince my mirror to back off, and I'll get stuck again.

Joining the commoners and their lines isn't an option. Sure, I could kill a few hundred before a noble came to stop me, but I'm not going to get just one noble. All the nearest nobles will come right at me, and both sides will just lose all the commoners in the noble brawl. Elora was reminded of that fact when Alzi had to run out to save her. Nobles attack the commoners only during a retreat. Otherwise, you're just slaughtering everyone.

I've got two options to join. One is two warriors. Mostly in neutral, but I think my addition would back them up enough that everyone would just break off the fight. Us to stop from being flanked and them to prevent from being killed before being flanked. It would start to consolidate some of these fights, which should work out better for us. The other is a mage fight with the enemy getting a little too close to our territory.

But first, I take a look at our camp, hoping to see a flag signaling retreat or something. Instead, I see my maid waving around with her bit of show magic. She wasn't the strongest or the right choice at all for a maid, but she was sweet and cute. I'm sure we can find a use for that magic of hers, and right now, she seems to be using it to get my attention. A red light flashes around at the edge of the camp. Normally, she uses an array of colors, so something must be up for her to be in this much of a panic. Looking for an excuse to get out of here, I start running back. It'll only take a few minutes to sprint back there. I'll take my time getting back out to the fight.

"LADY ALZI!" my maid shouts. "TAKEN!"

They're trying that again? They have to know she'll just pass out. What man is going to get hard while knocked out from the pain? What are we facing?

"How and when?" I ask. "Can I catch them?"

"No, they had too many spells and enchantments on the horses. Some of the maids are fighting around the prisoners. You need to help them."

"Why wouldn't they break that rule as well," I mutter, sprinting off yet again.

Coming to the prisoners, I find nothing. Well, not nothing, just that there is no fight. The prisoners are still tied up. Even the poison piece of shit is there, broken and mangled.

"Where is Alzi?" I ask a guard.

"Missing, Petra reported the attack and got emergency permission to use the potions. We're trying to get to Elora, but she's fighting still."

"Why is the camp so calm?"

"Most are out fighting, and the rest are just depressed knowing they took our healer without us putting up a fight or being able to stop. I'm not going to do anything stupid a lose a prisoner."

"Didn't think about telling me when I came sprinting over?"

"You didn't give us a chance."

"Has anyone seen Sedriresa? She should be telling everyone."

"She is the one spreading the message. You should've passed her."

That fucking bitch!

"You're going to get a new prisoner," I say, sprinting yet again. I hope the running doesn't hurt the kids; Alzi has enough reasons to kill me already no need to add to the list.

I don't make it far before bumping into my maid.

"Show me your magic!"

"Yes, my Lady," she says. A dim light appears on her finger, shifting between greed and red.

"How long did I cry?"

"After your impregnation? Um, three hours," she says.

"Stay by the prisoners. Nobody. And I mean, no one is to enter without two wives giving permission in person."

"Yes, my Lady."

Now, how do I catch someone that can look like anyone? How blind is Elora? We had three women that could've and should've stayed by Alzi. How did none of them do that job? Any of us should've been enough to keep Alzi alive. Instead, I have to find a damn changeling. It better not be a fucking Kitsune. I'll kill Yuki if their people are behind this. She's probably in her realm to never be seen if it is her. But I'll find a way.

Maybe the changeling is still my maid. She has to be smarter than that, but that is my best guess. Just move slowly.

"HELP!"

Fast may be the better option. I get to sprint yet again to the prisoners. This time there is at least some kind of fight there this time. My maid is holding my maid hostage. But she isn't facing the right way to see me coming, letting me easily take the knife out of her hand and capture the fucker. At least this one can't be a Kitsune. They wouldn't have a reason to free the prisoners.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I'm just a servant. I didn't have a choice. I'm sorry. I surrender. Please don't kill me. I'm pregnant with Alzi's child. I promise. I'll slit my own throat if I'm not pregnant."

"Damn this all! You even raped her! You spying bastard. Elise, go get everyone. We need to retreat and figure this the fuck out."

"Yes, my Lady."